Item 4 - Copy of a letter from Edwin Montagu to Winston Churchill

[Ministry of Munitions.]—His proposition that Churchill should speak at the Ministry arose from their conversation at Lady Cunard’s, in which Churchill pointed out that the main problem of the war was that ribs do not stop bullets. Montagu was convinced of his point, and of the need to devise new weapons and defences rather than supply increasing quantities of ammunition. Suggests the development of a tank-like machine to protect infantry. The Inventions Department of the Ministry of Munitions and the Design Department should be encouraged to look for new ideas rather than perfect old ones. He proposes inviting to the meeting the whole of these departments, with representatives of Supply such as the Trench Warfare and Shell Departments, as well as the Chief of the Imperial General Staff, the Master General of Ordnance and his Department, and Lloyd George himself. Asks whether Churchill can now fix a day to come.